Anakalusugan Partylist Rep. Mike Defensor on Thursday said that the decision of 184 congressmen to reject Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s resignation was a demonstration of solid support for the House leader that is not dictated by the gentleman’s term-sharing agreement.
“Do we talk about the country based on a gentleman’s agreement?” Defensor asked as he defended the vote of Lower House members not to allow Cayetano to leave his post.
In a television interview, the partylist lawmaker explained that what the Lower House decided on last Wednesday is but a confirmation of the principle that “Congress is really independent of the executive.”
Defensor, chairman of the House Committee on Public Trust, said critics who assailed his motion to put Cayetano’s resignation to a vote last Wednesday, should not delve on technicalities on whether the speaker offered to resign or did resign.
“Whatever it was, whether resignation or offer to resign, the vote is a manifestation of continued support of the overwhelming majority of the House to the leadership of the Speaker,” he said.
After delivering a privilege speech to lambast Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, Cayetano offered to resign his post but this was rejected following a nominal voting made by House members who attended the virtual plenary session on Wednesday.
Citing the House rules, Mindoro Oriental Rep. Salvador Leachon pointed out that the next step if a speaker resigns, is to allow the deputy speakers to choose who among them will be the acting speaker.
This was not followed as Defensor immediately rose to move for the rejection of Cayetano’s resignation and later sought a nominal voting to determine whether or not this motion has the backing of majority of lawmakers.
The plenary event came as a surprise to many, especially lawmakers who attended a Malacanang caucus called by President Duterte to resolve the controversy over term sharing agreement that he brokered between Cayetano and Velasco.
Duterte made it clear that he wanted the terms of the agreement be observed by the two House leaders. He also asked Cayetano to make the announcement that he will step down as speaker to give Velasco the next 21 months to lead the chamber.
On Wednesday, the viber thread of the Office of the Speaker disclosed that Malacanang has “distanced itself from the leadership row” in the Lower House.
The news release referred to a statement issued by presidential spokesman Harry Roque, who quoted Duterte on the issue.
“Stay out tayo diyan, No comment tayo diyan (We will stay out. We must not comment),’” Duterte allegedly told him.